Automatic fire alarm and extinguisher



(No Model.) 2 sheets-Shea 2. W. NERADHER.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM ANDBXTINGUiSHF-R. 1

No. 344,673. Patented June 29, 1886.

NITED Srarns Parent FFllCE.

WVILLIAM NERAGHER, OF CLEVELAND, OHlO.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM AND EXTINGUISHER.

FJPEQEFECATIQN forming part of Letters PatentNo. 34%,673. dated June 29, 1886.

Application filed September 8, 1885. Serial. No. 176.495). (No model.)

To aZl whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1. WILLIAM Nnaacnna. of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Automatic Fire Alarms and l lxtiuguishers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to automatic fire alarms and fireextinguishers, and is adapted to be used either with one or the other, or with both combined.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the apparatus in perspective located in the apartment or building. Fig. 2 shows the valve. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the alarm; Fig. 4, a view of the fusible link.

In these drawings. A represents alower floor, and B the upper floors, of a building.

a indicates the wires of a series in the upper apartment, arranged at regular intervals across the apartment and near the ceiling. These wires are fastened at one end to any suitable hook or eye in the wall, and at the other end are attached to a spring, (1, which connects them to the wall on the other side and maintains them under tension. At suitable intervals ineach wire are interposed links a c, which are made of metal or material adapted to be fused or rendered brittle at tern perature above that of summer heat, but sufficiently low to rupture the wire at a very early stage of the fire occurring in the apartment or building. These links are shown at 6, Fig. 4. They have a thin central portion and rings at each end, into which the wire-sections are looped. The wire passes through a slotted arm, f, which is fixed into an upright position on the shaft F, hung in suitable bearings across the wires. A small collar is fixed on each wire near the slotted lever on the side of the lever away from the spring, the collar being larger than the transverse diameter of the slot, in which the wire may be freely moved when not hindered by the collar. On the shaft F is another arm, h, set horizontally, and slotted like the first mentioned.

The construction in the apartment A next below is the same as that above described, and has a series of wires, b, and shaft F, uniting the wires, and this represents any number scribed.

of floors of the building. A red, H, passes through the slotted arms it, both of the upper and lower floors, and when the wires are all in place this rod H is supported wit-h collars i, just above or resting on the levers. The parts are so arranged that when any one of the links a is broken the spring d will draw upon the slotted leverfin front of it by means of the collars, and rocking the shaft will, through the lever 71, lift the rod H. It will be readily understood that nofusibleliuk is interposed between theleverfand the spring (Z, and that each spring (I must he in itself sufficient to lift the rod H. At the lower end of the rod H is a bolt, K, which passes through staples and through a ring in the end of the rod is, which iscounect-ed to an arm, Z, of the bell-crank lever L. The other arm, in, of the bell-crank lever sustains the weight M by means of arod,

'n, the upper end of which has a ring hooked over the end of the rod n. Intermediate between the rod a and the weight is a long link, 0, which link straddles the forked end of the arm p on the stem q ol'the valve which admits water to the supply-pipe P. 1

From the construction described it wil be apparent that when any one of the links is broken in any wire the rod H will be drawn up. The spring d, which is preferably spiral, has movement enough to draw the pin K out of the ring in the arm 7c and let the weight M drop. Normally the weight M stands with its link 0 raised above the fork of the lever 19, and when the weight drops the link strikes the lever with the added force of momentum, thus insuring the turning of the valve to let on thesupply of water. A wire, 1', connects the weight M with a detent, l, on the alarm, and when the weight falls it removes this detent and allows the alarm to sound. The alarm is of an improved form, and specially adapted for the purpose. It has a bell, 3, and a spring-hammer, 4. The tail 5 of this hammer is in range with apair of pins, 6, on the ends of the arms set on the shaft 7 of the driving-wheel 8. This wheel is made heavy,so as to acquire momentum suflicient for the purpose hereinafter de- It has a spiral peripheral groove on which is wound a cord, 9, of the weight 10. This cord is wound upon a barrel, lll, first, and then continued on the spiral groove to the weight. It thus acts first with the greatest .l

leverage and gives the wheel 8 sufficientmomentum before the cord has run down to the barrel. While running off the barrel, therefore, it runs steadily, being regulated by the wheel 8, acting as a fly-wheel. This causes the arms to act uniformly and steadily on thetail of the bell-hammer, and to give a distinct and recognizable sound.

The distances between the wires of a series in an alphabet and between the links of any wire cannot beprecisely given, but vary within the conditions and requirements of the room. The fusible loops should be sufficiently frequent in the space over head to have one near the fire at whatever spot it may. occur, and. the series in each room being all connected by. one common shaft with the boltwhich releases the weight, any oneof the wires broken in any place releases the weight without delay, necessary where thefire must spread'in order to find a fusible link.

Thealarm may be located on the top of the building or at a distant house, as may be re quired, and it will soundsteadily and for a time sufficient to give notice at any time,

I claim as my invention 1. A fire-extinguisher arranged in an apart,- ment or building,c0nsisti ng of a series of distributers, a series of wires under tension having intermediate fusible links, a water-source for supplying water to all the distributers,having a suitable valve, the described releasing mechanism therefor, and an intermediate shalt having slotted arms between the valve-releasing mechanism and the series of wires for communicating the action of any one of the series to the said releasing mechanism, the parts being arranged and operated, substantially as described.

2. A fire-extinguisher arranged in an apartment or building,consisting of a series of dis-. tributers, a series of wires under tension having intermediate fusible links, an alarm, op erating mechanism therefor, and an intermediate shaft having slotted arms betweenthe alarm-operating mechanism and the series of wires for communicating, the action of any one of the series to the said alarm mechanism, substantially as described.

3. A fire extinguisher arrangedin an apartment or building, consisting of a series of distributers, a series of wires under tension, and provided with intermediate fusible links and collars, a water supply and releasing mechanism therefor, and an intermediate shaft connectedto said releasing mechanism and havin g slotted arms through which wires pass, and an arm, h, the parts being arranged and operating substantially as described.

4..In combination with the series of wires and their springs and collars, the shaft having slotted arms through which the wires pass, an arm, h, a rod, H, and an alarm and water-supply having suitable operating and releasing mechanism connected to and operated by the said rod vH,.all substantially as described.

5. In combination with the series of wires and their springs and collars, the shafthaving slotted arms through which the wires pass, a

, rod, H, a releasing-bolt connected to and'operated by the said rod, an arm, h, for operating the said rod H, a water-supply, the valve stem thereofhaving theeforked arm and the suspended weight, and the link 0, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the series of wires and their springs and collars, theshaft having slotted arms through which the wires pass, a rod. H, a releasing-bolt connected to and operated bythesaid rod, an arm, h, for operating the said rod H, an alarm having a detent connected to a weight and to the described operaling mechanism, the said detent being adapted to be moved by the dropping of the weight, and thus permit of the sounding of the alarm,

. substantially as described.

7. In combination, a series of wires arranged as described and having fusible links, with the shaft, the slotted arms and the rod and releasing-bolt, and a water-supply pipe and Valves and alarm-bell, all connected to the releasing devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM NERAGHER.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES L. STURTEVANT, W. O. DUVALL. 

